Alfred swan



(No Model.)

A. SWAN. ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Patented Oct. 20, 1891.

T z a. m f S m H r f UNITED STATES ALFRED SWAN, OF ORAN-GE, NEW JERSEY,ASSIGNOR TO THE PATENT OFFICE.

IN SULITE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 461,456, dated October20, 1891. Application filed A gu 6, 1890. Serial No. 361,213. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known thatI, ALFRED SWAN, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain,residing at Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, fullydescribed and represented in the following specification and theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to electric switches, its object being to providean improved switch in which both make and break shall be beyond thecontrol of the opcratorafter the operating movement has passedacertainpoint and in which it shall be impossible for the circuit to be madeorbroken by the reverse movement of the switch.

A full description of my invention will now be given, reference beingmade to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,in which Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved switch with the handleremoved and having the circuit broken. Fig. 2 is a similar View showingthe circuit closed. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of Fig. 1 with the handlein place. Fig. at is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 with the handlein place. Fig. 5 is a plan of amultipolar switch, showingthe circuitclosed. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5 with the handlein'place.

Referring-now especially to Figs. 1 to at, A is the insulating base ofthe switch, supporting the contact-plates B O, with which the line-wiresE F make contact by the usual contact-screws, as shown, or in anyothersuitable manner. The base A is provided with cams or inclines G H,and the contact-plates B C extend inward over the lower parts of thecams, so that the switch-arms form contact therewith after passing oithe highest parts of the cams, the contact-plates being a little belowthe highest parts of the cams, so that shoulders 1 are formed upon thecams, extending above the contact-plates.

In the blockAis mounted to rotate asmall shaft K, provided with a handleL, by which it is operated, this handle being secured in the upper endof the shaft K, preferably by being screwed into the latter, as shown inFig. 4, the handle and shaft thus being connected on movement of thehandle in one direction and the handle being unscrewed from the shaft onmovement in the opposite direction. This shaft K carries a cross-pin 2,and between the cross-pin and the base A is mounted loosely upon theshaftsleeve 3, which carries the switch-arms M N and is provided withslots 4, extending longitudinally of the sleeve and shaft, in'which thepin 2' engages for operating the sleeve when the shaft is rotated. Acollar 5 is loose upon the sleeve 3, and a coiled spring 6 encircles thesleeve between the collar and the switcharms, the collar 5 being heldagainst upward movement by the pin 2.

The cams G H, as above explained, project slightly above the surface ofthe contact portions of the plates B O, forming shoulders 1, and thesecams are provided also with shoulders 7, extending slightly above theirlowest parts beneath the contact-plates and in position to hold theswitch-arms from reverse movement to engage any part of thecontact-plates. When the contact-plates extend in two horizontal planesand vertical arms contact the parts, as in the construction shown, thecontact-plates will be so construct ed that the'switch-arms do not dragupon the vertical arms of the contact-plates as they move downward inthe circuit-breaking movement. This result may be obtained either byplacing the vertical arms beyond the ends of the switch-arms or, asshown, forming lips upon the plates which project beyond the verticaledges. The switch may readily be constructed, however, so that theplates lie in a single plane.

The operation of the switch will readily be understood from the drawingsand abrief description. As the handle L and shaft K are rotated thesleeve 5 and switch-arms M N are carried forward over the cam-surfaces,which operate to raise the arms and compress the spring 6 between theswitch-arms and loose collar 5, slots 4 permitting the sleeve 3 to movelongitudinally of the shaft while being rotated therewith by the pin 2.As the switch-arms M N reach the highest part of the cams G H and passoff the shoulders I the force of spring 6 throws the sleeve down andcarries the switcharms into contact with the contact-plates, as shown inFigs. 2 and 4, thus closing the circuit. Any reverse movement of theswitch-arms M N to break the circuit is prevented by the shoulders I andby the unscrewing of the handle L from the shaft K. A further rotationof the shaft K carries the switch-arms M. N over the contactplates B C,and as the switch-arms reach the ends of and pass off the contact-platesthe spring 6 throws the switch arms downward into the position shown inFigs. 1 and 3, thus breaking the circuit instantaneously, theswitch-arms being out of contact with the contact-plates during thebreaking movement. Any reverse movement of the switcharms to closecontact with the'contact-plates is prevented by the shoulders 7 at thefoot of the cams and by the unscrewing of handle L, as before.

It will thus be seen that an instantaneous make andbreak is produced,which is beyond the control of the operator after the operating movementhas passed a certain point, and

that no reverse movement of the switch-arms can either make or break thecircuit.

In Figs. 5 and tiis shown a multiple-branch switch, in which two sets ofcontact-plates B O and B G and two sets of switch-arms M N and M N areused. In this construction the arms M N are carried by a collar 8, whichis secured to a block of insulating material 9, placed between thecollar 8 and the sleeve 3, carrying switch-arms M I and serving toinsulate the two sets of switch-arms M N from each other. The collar 8is provided with an opening about the shaft of sufficien't size toprevent contact therewith or may be insulated therefrom, if desired. Theconstruction and operation of the multiplebranch switch in otherrespects are identical with the single switch previously described.

- It will be understood that whilea double switch is shown any number ofswitch-arms may be employed and the device used for control of anydesired number of lines.

My invention is not to be limited to the specific form of the devicesshown, as it is evident that these may be varied widely by one skilledin the art without departing from my invention, and the construction ofthe moving parts of the switch as shown constitutes only the preferredform of these parts, and other arrangements of parts may be used withthe base. ever, in which two switch-arms engage cams on opposite sidesof the axis and slide upon the rotating shaft, insures a very easy andcertain operation, the pressure upon opposite sides of the axis ofrotation'being equalized. A single arm may be used, however, operated bythe cams and closing the circuit in any suitable manner.

What I claim is 1. In a switch,the combination of abase provided with aseries of insulating-cams, contact-plates, each in advance of a cam andlying in a plane between the top of said cam The construction shown,how-- and the foot of the next succeeding cam and at right angles to theaxis of rotation of the switch arm or arms, a switch arm or armsengaging and spring-pressed against said cams and contactplates, andmeans for rotatingsaid switch arm or arms over said cams andcontact-plates against said spring-pressure, substantially as described.

2. In a switch,the combination of a base provided with a series ofinsulating-cams, contact-plates, each in advance of the top of a cam andlying in a plane between the top of said cam and the footof the nextsucceeding cam and at right angles to the axis of rota tion of theswitch arm or arms, a switch arm or arms engaging and spring-pressedagainst said cams and contact-plates, means for rotating said switch armor arms over said cams and contact-plates against said spring-pressure,and a' shoulder at the'foot of each cam preventing reverse movement ofthe switch when the circuit is broken, substantially as described.

3. In a switch, the combination of a base provided with a series ofinsulating-cams, contact-plates, each in advance of the top of a cam andlying in a plane between the top of said cam and the foot of the nextsucceeding cam and at right angles to the axis of rotation of theswitch-arms, switch-arms engaging said cams on opposite sides of theaxis of rotation, a shaft by which the switch-arms are rotated and onwhich they slide, a spring pressing said arms against said cams andcontact-plates, and a shoulder at the foot of each cam preventing thereverse movement of the switch when the circuit is broken, substantiallyas described.

4. The combination, with the base A, having insulating-cams G II, of theshaft K, carrying cross-pin 2, longitudinally-slotted sleeve 3, carryingswitch-arms M N, spring 6, pressing said switch-arms against the cams,and contact-plates B- 0, each in advance of the top of a cam and lyingin a plane between ICC the top of said cam and the foot of the nextrying cross-pin 2,1ongitudinally-slotted sleeve 3, carrying switch-armsM N, spring 6, pressing said switch-arms against the cams, andcontact-plates B 0, each lying in advance of the top of a cam and in aplane between the top of said cam and the foot of the next succeedingcam and at right angles to the axis of rotation of the switch-arms,substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the base A, havin g insulating-cams G H, eachprovided at its foot with a shoulder 7, of the shaft K, carryingcross-pin 2, longitudinally-slotted sleeve 3, carrying the switch-arms MN, spring 6, pressing said switch-arms against the cams, andcontact-plates B 0, each lying in advance of the top of a cam in a planebetween the top of one cam and the foot of the next succeeding cam andat right angles to the axis of rotation of the switch-arm, substantiallyas described.

7. A switch-block consisting of the switch base A, having one or moreinsulating-cams, as G, each provided at its foot with a shoulder 7, andone or more contact-plates, as B, each lying in advance of the top of acam and in a single plane between the/cop of said cam and the foot ofthe-next succeeding cam and extending over and past said shoulder,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 15 my hand in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED SWAN.

Witnesses: O. .T. SAWYER,

J. J. KENNEDY.

